Ithaca’s mayor is calling for a pause on Cornell University Greek life and student gatherings.
Ithaca’s mayor is calling for a pause on Cornell University Greek life and student gatherings after the Tompkins County district attorney said he is reopening an investigation into an alleged sexual assault at a Cornell fraternity in 2024.
Mayor Robert Cantelmo said he learned of the allegations against seven then-Cornell students last week. He said that despite the severity of the alleged crimes, Cornell University administration failed to contact the Ithaca Police Department in 2024.
Cantelmo is now asking the Ithaca Common Council to pause Greek life and student gatherings requiring a city permit. He said Cornell will have to update and release new standards before he lifts the pause.
Mayor Cantelmo's full statement is below:
Late last week, I learned of the heinous and sickening allegations made against the Cornell students who, according to a former undergraduate student identified as Jane Doe, drugged and brutally raped her at the Chi Phi fraternity house. Despite the severity of these crimes, Cornell University administrators and police failed to contact or coordinate any response with the Ithaca Police Department.
Furthermore, the University failed to hold the perpetrators to account. This is a miscarriage of justice and continues to pose a significant threat to students and residents who may be victimized at unsafe and under-monitored on- or off-campus student events.
Given this appalling response from university administration, I have no choice but to declare a new policy directive and corresponding Common Council resolution, implementing an immediate moratorium on all student event and special event permits, including, but not limited to Greek life and other student group gatherings, until such time as the University conducts an accounting of its protocols to prevent and prosecute crimes of sexual violence and publicly releases new standards and practices to keep our community safe.
This is a developing story.
